Yeah, you pay for the binding etc, and the chrome/gold pickup covers, but it's worth it, they do look cooler.
As for replacing the pickup, depends, do you like the sound of the current one or not? That's all that really matters, not weather it's "a step up" from other eppi pickups.
Also depends what you want out of the guitar. I've always wanted to get the 3 pickup LP and put three strat style singles in as an experiment. But I'm too skint to buy a
